Archdiocese of Toronto to observe 1st-annual Day for Palliative Care

This Sunday, October 26, will be the first-ever Archdiocesan Day for Palliative Care in the Archdiocese of Toronto, a move that Cardinal Frank Leo hopes will raise awareness and compassion for those who are facing the end of their lives.

"This new observance is born out of a deep pastoral concern for those who suffer and for those approaching the end of life. It is my hope that this day will inspire every parish community to pray, reflect, and act with renewed compassion toward those in need of comfort, dignity, and accompaniment in their final journey," said Cardinal Leo in a letter to the archdiocese published on October 23.

Cardinal Leo said it was "imperative" that Catholics in the archdiocese "raise awareness and encourage prayerful dialogue among the faithful and the larger community" about what should happen when a person is facing suffering or a life-limiting diagnosis.

The last Sunday of October was chosen for the Day of Palliative Care as it is adjacent to the start of November, a month traditionally reserved to pray for those who have died. With this timing, "the Archdiocesan Day for Palliative Care connects the suffering of this world and in our bodies and souls, with the hope that we have in the world to come," said the cardinal.

Presently, culture "views suffering as something to be eliminated rather than embraced with love," he lamented. In Canada, "assisted death," or euthanasia, is a legal option for anyone 18 and older with a "grievous and irremediable medical condition." Deaths in Canada due to "assisting" have grown exponentially.

It is the role of the Church, Cardinal Leo said, to "give witness to the truth that life retains its dignity even amid illness, pain, and decline."

One way this can happen is through increasing awareness of palliative care. Unlike euthanasia or assisted dying, palliative care services do not work to hasten death. Instead, palliative care works to "relieve suffering through medical, emotional, and spiritual support," he noted.

Only about a third of Canadians have access to palliative care services.

"We know that if those who are sick and dying are surrounded by loving care, in a community setting imbued with compassion, possess an understanding of what effective pain management looks like as well as the meaning of redemptive suffering, fewer would seek euthanasia and assisted suicide as a solution to their pain, guilt or loneliness," he said.

It is the cardinal's hope that the Archdiocesan Day for Palliative care will encourage communities in the archdiocese to "pause and reflect on and commit to compassionate care for the dying."

"We need to enter into conversations around the difficult question of 'What do I do when someone I love is dying and suffering horrific pain?,'" said Leo. Instead of considering legislative issues, he believes grassroots initiatives and "kitchen table conversations" are a more effective way to confront the forces that are driving Canadians to end their lives through euthanasia.

"Our first Archdiocesan Day for Palliative Care represents a concrete step in integrating the Church’s pastoral mission with the urgent medical, ethical, and spiritual challenges associated with end-of-life care," he said.

Additionally, Leo reminded people that not only do people who are suffering need to know they are not alone, but also families and parishes must recognize that they, too, are not alone.

"The larger archdiocesan family is here to help, I am committed to ensuring that help and support, care and comfort reach those who are most vulnerable," he said.

"When it comes to euthanasia and assisted suicide, there are a lot of myths surrounding what we believe and encourage," he said.

As archbishop, Leo "want(s) everyone to know the truth, to be 'Good Samaritans' who stand beside their brothers and sisters in their most vulnerable moments and effect to them the compassion of the Lord and his gift of life, both earthly and heavenly."